Back To How It Was
by No Need To Say Goodbye
Summary: An unexpected event brings all four Pevensies back to Narnia. The person everyone paid the least attention to is now the one to be feared. Suspian, AU, Rated T for now.
1. Chapter 1: Withdrawn

**A/N:** Hey guys. I'm sorry that I've neglected this story and all my fans for so long. I've decided to rewrite this story and edit it as I go, so be patient with me. I promise to finish it this time too. If you've stuck with me since the beginning, thank you so much! I love you all and again, I apologize!

**Another A/N: **Due to the fact that Peter is an important character in _The Last Battle___and due to my own twists on the plot of C.S. Lewis, I cannot include him in my writings at this time.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything, except the plot. Suspian belongs to Disney. The Chronicles of Narnia and every reference to it belongs to C.S. Lewis.

_` la ` la ` la ` la_

_Tap, tap, tap_ was the only noise in the room. Everyone seemed to be occupied with the books that were laid out in front of the three occupants of the room, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that the only person who was focusing on her books was the eldest girl. The two others were watching her tap her pencil against her book and each had a look of worry on his or her face. There had been much talk about the cause of personality change in their sister: they all felt the same way.

Being in a world where you were High Queen and High King – or even just a Queen or a King – and coming back to a world where you almost invisible was a drastic and depressing change for every single Pevensie. The youngest Pevensie believed that her sister just wanted to be back in the land of Narnia and she was mourning over being permanently separated from Aslan. The eldest Pevensie in the room had more of accurate guess and he supposed it was going to happen to every girl at some point. However, it was going to be hard to beat out a King of Narnia. A man who saved an entire country was a little bit too hard to overcome with a man who worked 9 to 5 at a desk job.

The maturation issue was a factor: yes, Susan had lived an entire lifetime and then some, but she had never liked a man or been outside the realm of her brothers and sisters. She was just a girl who had a crush on him and who knew if he ever returned the emotion? No one knew and Susan's refusal to do things with her family proved a point: she was pining over him. Even if she got back to Narnia, he could be married with children.

"We should find a way back to Narnia for Susan," Lucy whispered, doodling on her homework. "She can stay there forever and we can return and return."

"Don't you remember what Aslan said? It's not possible. She'll eventually forget about the magic of Narnia, like we all do," Edmund replied.

"Maybe it's not Narnia, exactly," Lucy suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Lucy said with a sigh.

"We should find a back to Narnia, though. However, we only find a way back to Narnia if we are needed. And who knows when that'll be?" Edmund said, tapping his pencil a little harder on the table.

"It was a year last time. It could be a lot longer this time," Lucy complained. She looked at her homework, before shooting a quick glance at her sister. Susan was staring at her own books, doodling absent-mindedly. It seemed like her mind was everywhere but on her work. Lucy sighed and looked back at her brothers. "But we can't just sit around, doing nothing!"

"Lucy, we're not going to get back into Narnia by 'wanting to' or 'needing to'. We have to be needed," Edmund said, his tone rather rude. Susan gave him a look a pointed look and Edmund muttered an apology.

After that, the room was silent. Only Lucy's pencil against the paper and Edmund's sighs could be here; Susan seemed the only one who was affected by it, staring blankly at her paper. Finally, after about five minutes, Edmund declared he was talking a walk. Lucy got up and moved her things next to Susan.

"Teachers are so mean. Why do they assign so much homework?" Lucy said, smiling a little bit at the nod she got from Susan. "I hate math – I can barely understand all of all the equations and rules." The younger girl was troubled by the fact she could only speak to her sister about homework, when they used to share stories about their day and the people they met.

"Math can be difficult," Susan said, never looking up. She sat there for a few minutes before she packed up her stuff, excusing herself to take a shower. She made her way to her room and put her bags away, getting ready for her shower. She moved to the bathroom and turned on the shower, biting her lip as she stared at herself in the mirror.

Lately, she didn't know what was thinking. It felt like the last adventure had simply been a dream. Liking someone – it had been her first time. She thought she could get over it easily and move on. She would come back to England and her life would continue to exist as it had always done. But why couldn't she get rid of his dark gaze, the way he looked at her, and the way he seemed to worry about her even if they were just standing and talking? No person from this world could match up to him, but it was silly to keep hanging on him. Aslan had told her that she couldn't come back. If even by the slightest chance she could, he may be dead. Time didn't pass the same way.

The absence of her older brother had also been taking a toll on her: he had taken up his parents invitation to travel to Germany with them for the next month. Without the guiding wisdom of him, the younger siblings were at a complete loss. It seemed like he had always set them on the right path, even if they were in London.

She stepped into the hot shower, closing her eyes and letting her mind wander. Logic told her that hanging onto Caspian would be harmful, but she couldn't control her dreams or her heart anymore than she could change the stars and the sun. Her family was worrying over her; she knew that that. It wasn't fair to them to keep sulking around and never explaining her actions to them. How could explain to Lucy and Edmund about it? Of course they'd understand, but it was embarrassing to discuss her love life with them.

She didn't love Caspian – how could she? There didn't know each other half as a well as they should and they only shared one kiss. That didn't make love. There were plenty of guys who liked her here, but the trick was finding one that she liked back. However, each time she saw an attractive man, she couldn't stop thinking of Caspian. There really was no help for her.

Susan finished her shower and got dressed for the night. After French braiding her hair, she went back to the room where they hung out when they were at home. Edmund had returned; he was playing chess with Lucy. She decided to take up a book and pass the time by reading.

At around nine o'clock, they decided to call it a night. Susan lingered in the room for a few extra minutes, staring out of the dark window. When she entered the bedroom she shared with Lucy, her sister was waiting up for her. Lucy waited as Susan brushed her teeth and did her nightly routine, before she climbed into bed with her sister.

"Do you ever think that I'll be able to return to Narnia?" Susan questioned, rolling on her side to look at the younger girl.

"I don't think that Aslan would turn anyone away, so long as they really want to go back to Narnia," Lucy said slowly. "But, I don't think it's going to be in the way that we've gone to Narnia before. It's going to be different and…I think, somehow, more…permanent."

"Well, will it even be Narnia?" Susan asked. "I'm sure that Narnia isn't the only world besides ours: there has to be others. So maybe once we've outgrown Narnia, we will grow into another world. Or perhaps, once we've outgrown Narnia, it's time to grow into our own world."

"Su, but it doesn't make any sense…," Lucy said. "I don't know; I don't want to think about not being able to return to Narnia. It's not…Somehow, it isn't right…"

"But all good things must come to an end. But time is relative, isn't it, Lu? We mustn't give up hope, even we lose ourselves sometimes. It's alright to get lost as long as you find yourself in the end," Susan said, pulling her sister close.

The rest of the night passed with many whispers and giggles: boys, school, memories of Narnia, of the time when they still lived with their parents, of the bombings, of the War, and of the times that were yet to come were only a few of the subjects they talked about. Both sisters had hearts that were glad, for the distance between that of sisters is one of the most painful. Only the reunion of sister's hearts could heal the absence of it.

It was like there was a sigh of relief throughout the whole house: Susan was back to her normal self and there would be little to no reason for them to continuing worrying. Of course, being back to normal and being over it were two entirely different things, but as she pulled her covers up and prepared to get some sleep, she would think positive. Tomorrow was a new day and if she could go for a few hours without feeling the pain of regret, she would consider progress made. Rome wasn't built in a day, after all.


	2. Chapter 2: Swimming Pool

` la ` la ` la ` la

"Susan! Wake up!" Lucy tugged at her sister's blankets and let out a frustrated sigh when the older girl moved deeper into her bed and rolled over. Edmund was already up and ready to go swimming and here Susan was: sleeping as if today was another Saturday that she could spent the entire morning in bed.

"Lu…Half an hour…" Susan mumbled, pulling the covers over her face. Lucy continued to tug and beg her sister. After a minute, Susan let out a frustrated moan and began to sit up, opening her eyes and looking around. "Alright, alright…I'm up…You can stop now."

The younger girl bounced away, going their bathing suits. She was back in a few minutes, giving Susan her simple one piece. The girl took turns changing and Susan made sure to tell her little sister how great she looked in her own kid one-piece.

Susan had barely woken up before Lucy pulled her and was leading her to the pool. Edmund and Peter were in the pool, playing around. Lucy grabbed a 'doughnut', as the called them (which was really just a tube) and joined them. Susan sat at the edge, barely putting her feet in the water and watched them.

"Susan! What's the point of going swimming if you don't actually get in the water?" Lucy asked, watching her sister.

"Someone woke me up before I was ready, so I'm still trying to wake up!" Susan responded, looking over at her siblings. She drew her feet out of the water and she was perfectly content to be dry. Edmund began to splash her, ruining her plan to stay dry.

"Hey, Susan, I thought you said you'd cheer up last night," Lucy said, teasing her with a grin. Susan splashed water at her face, smiling over at her.

"I am cheerful! I didn't hit you for splashing me, did I?" she shot back. It resulted in a splashing contest between the two of them. There was no winner, seeing as Mrs. Macready came out with breakfast for the four of them. The only one who complained about the food was Lucy and that was simply because she would have to wait thirty minutes before she could swim again.

The other two who weren't bothered by the lack of water in their life ate their breakfast. During the meal, the conversation turned to hushed whispers about Narnia. It would be bad to be overheard and for unnecessary questions to be asked about.

"When do you think we'll go back? And how much time do you think would have passed?" Edmund asked, looking down at his plate.

"I hope not a lot!" Lucy said with her bright smile. "I'd love to see King Caspian again…Along with everyone else. I'd rather not have a thousand years pass and know that all our dear friends are dead."

At the mention of Caspian, the Pevensie's eyes turned to Susan. She simply nodded, smiled, and added, "I wish the same for you, Lucy. I hope that Narnia will never be a terrible place again and I don't think it will, with Aslan and King Caspian keeping an eye on things."

There was agreement from all sides and fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes as everyone got lost in their own thoughts.

"Do you think we'll ever be needed in Narnia again?"

"As long as there is people in Narnia, Ed, I think you'll always be needed." They finished their meal and sat in silence for a few minutes. Edmund walked off 'to help with digestion' while Susan and Lucy put their feet in the pool, kicking at the water.

"Susan…What does it feel like to kiss someone?" Lucy asked suddenly. "I see people do it at school, sometimes, and you kissed King Caspian…"

"Lu, don't be in a rush to grow up. You're still far too young to be worrying about kissing guys," Susan said, watching her sister closely.

"I know…But we've gone through the same things, so we should be able to have the same worries…Even if it's about kissing boys," Lucy said.

"Once you find someone who's worth kissing, you'll understand. But don't do it just to do it. Not everyone is worth your first kiss and once you have it, you'll understand." She pushed some hair out of her young sister's face, sighing slightly.

"Did you really like him that much?"

"It's complicated, Lu…"

"If you could go back and see him just as he was two weeks ago, would you still want to kiss him?"

Susan nodded slowly. "I think I would. I can't get him out of my mind, but it's pointless. You heard Aslan; I'm too old to return. And if I did, I'm probably just a distant memory…A girl who had a flirting impression."

"I'm sure it's not like that. He probably liked you a lot, too," Lucy reassured, smiling at her sister.

"He'll probably be dead by the time we can finger out a way to get Peter and I back to Narnia," she said, shaking her head slightly.

"But it's Narnia and you never know. Even if he's dead, you still made an impression on him. What's wrong with that, Su?"

"I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it," Susan said, looking over at her sister. She smiled and checked time. "Only fifteen more finites before we can go in, Lu."

"You will come in all the way this time, won't you, Susan?" Lucy asked, her eyes begging her sister's clear blue ones.

Susan nodded. "I'll even jump into the deep end first." Lucy slid more of her feet into the water, itching to into the pool.

"I do hope we get to see Caspian, Reepicheep, and our D.L.F. again," Lucy said, sighing slightly.

"I hope you do… I'll be able make do here."

"Narnia won't be the same without you."

There was a brief pause, before Susan said, "Only ten more minutes."

Susan's thoughts turned towards what Lucy had said. _Do you really like King Caspian that much? _Yes, she did. He was charming, funny, brave, he was a good fighter, and a King. She was sure that other girls thought the same about her brother when they were Narnia, but Caspian was the one who had captured her attention – making him her first crush.

"Okay, Lu, we can go in!" Edmund approached the girls and grabbed Lucy's hand, pulling her into the pool with him. True to her promise, Susan moved over to the deep and prepared to dive in. She took one good luck at it and closed her eyes, jumping in. She had underestimated the distance she need to clear the wall and her head clipped the wall. Before she knew what had happened, she slipped into unconsciousness.

"Susan. Welcome home." Susan became aware, although it felt like a dream. There was a golden shape in front of her eyes, yet she couldn't make it out. The air was warm and clean; pure and magical. There was a familiar feeling, yet it was different. The sound of waves crashing against the shore assaulted her ears and she finally saw him: Aslan.

` la ` la ` la ` la

"Where is Susan?" Edmund looked around, confused by the absence of his sibling. "She was just here…Did she go back inside? I thought I heard her enter the pool, though."

Lucy swam towards the deep end and saw her sibling at the bottom of the pool. The realization hit her and 'bloody murder' had nothing on the terrifying scream that came out of her mouth.

Mrs. Macready run out of the house to see what all the commotion was about. As soon as she saw her charge at the bottom of the pool, she broke down in sobs. "I'll go get the professor," was the only thing the housekeeper could manage through her sorrow.

"What'll happen now?" Lucy asked as she sobbed into her brother. Edmund was still holding his sister, trying to make sure that she was alright despite the fact he was feeling the same emotions. He helped her onto the steps to make sure that she didn't drown. He got her up and wrapped her in her towel, trying to comfort her as best as he could.

"I don't know, Lu. I don't know."

There was a soft murmur of rushing water, reforming itself. They rushed to edge of the pool, gazing over. Steps made of water that led down into the deepest reaches of the pool; a perfect pathway to accommodate two people. They could make out white sand instead of the smooth tile that had been there only seconds before.

"Narnia…At this time?" Edmund asked, frowning. It was the last thing he wanted to do: go back into the place where he had so many memories with his sister. She was gone forever and he wasn't in the mood to fix another world's problem. He had his own memories here.

"We should go, no matter the reason," Lucy said, wiping her tears away. She grabbed her brother's hand and together, they walked down the stairs. The first breath of air was clean and familiar to them: they were in their true home, where they were the most happy. Happiness did not await them on this journey; only sadness.


	3. Chapter 3: Narnia

**A/N: So here's the third chapter! If you've been waiting for me to upload this and haven't read the first two in the past two days, you should go back because I edited out a lot. Please excuse any mistakes; I don't have a beta anymore, so this hasn't been edited by anyone else but me. I hope you all like it!**

**Disclaimer: CON belongs to C.S. Lewis. Suspian belongs to Disney. I only own the plot.**

` la ` la ` la ` la

The gritty sand of beach crunched underneath the shoes of the two Pevensies. Both were only barely aware of the fact that they were near Cair Paravel – their hearts were still back with their sister, whom they believed they would never see again. Still holding hands, they did not stop to play in the beach or to wonder in awe at the terrible ruins of what used to be their home, in a time when they had both their brother and sister.

The intention of that is not to say that Lucy and Edmund could not take care of themselves: they were perfectly able. However, the only time they had been in Narnia without their siblings were the very first time and they had not known what a terrible and wonderful place it could be. They had always had Susan's gentle words and Peter's wisdom to help them with their choices and now they were on their own.

Edmund led his sister into the surrounded wilderness, for he could see many people on top of the fortress. It looked like it was being rebuilt by hand and he wasn't in the mood to find out if the construction workers were friend or foe. He was defenseless and if they were enemies, he would be at their complete mercy. An attention off in the words drew his attention and he could make out the shape of a woman: Lucy and Edmund both thought she was very familiar.

The lady stepped forward into the sunlight and embraced Lucy, hugging her tightly and partially drowning out the cries of "Su! Susan! Is it really you?" and "I thought I'd never see you again!" After the tears were shed and the greetings that came with meeting one you thought forever parted, the sisters stood back from each other and Edmund got a chance to hug his older sister.

"But how are you here, Susan?" Lucy asked, looking at her sister. "Do you come to Narnia once you've died in our own world?"

"Lucy, promise me you won't think about it," Susan said quickly, getting very concerned. "It is a very complicated process, as to why I am in Narnia and why I have not gone on to where the good who has died gone. Someday, you shall hear the story, but that day is not today. If you die, I am sure you will not end up in Narnia. So promise not to think about it."

"I promise," Lucy said, but she couldn't help her mind from wandering. The truth of the manner was this: Susan, had she continued to live in England, in our world, would have lost herself and been separated from the faith that binds one to Narnia. For that very reason, Aslan could not bring her to His Country and decided that she would be served to the people of Narnia until she had lived out the rest of her life in Narnia. One was not able to go to Aslan's Country if there was anything separating them from Aslan Himself; there was plenty that was preventing from Susan from giving herself to Aslan as fully as she should.

"Now, enough of this talk. We should get ready to find someone who will know something about what is going on," Susan said. She led the way down to the Treasure Room. It was rather dark going into it and they found their way down by mere feel. When they were down, they were grateful that there was a little bit of sun to show them the shapes of their chests.

Finally, they decided to spend the night on the beach and a far enough distance away from the castle that no one would notice. Tomorrow, they would find some way to get off of the island and journey towards the Narnian inland, in the hopes of finding some friend who would be able to tell them about the passage of time and what they had missed.

Firewood was collected to keep them warm and they all laid down. It was a sad night, for they had no food and they didn't dare risk getting close enough to eat some of the apples that has sustained them on their last visit to Narnia. Edmund fell asleep quickly, but after a few minutes, Lucy couldn't resist speaking to her sister.

"Su, are you awake?"

Susan made a noise of contentment and no more.

"How much time do you think has passed?" Lucy rolled over, watching her elder sister.

"We'd have to know until we find a Narnian or a Telmarine," Susan said. Facts were best presented like that: speculation could lead one insane.

"I hope it's enough and not a lot at the same time." Lucy was silent for a moment. "I was really scared of losing you today."

"I can't return to England."

"But you're here and that's good enough. We talk and hug and kiss; we can even play if we wish!"

"But remember about Narnian time, Lucy. I will age and die and it could be before you ever get a chance to return to Narnia."

"Then Ed and I will stay here. We aren't needed in England, we are needed here," Lucy affirmed. Susan let out a laugh: half was of complete disbelief and the way adults laugh when a child says something ignorant but the other half was because her sister never failed to make her feel better.

"Goodnight, Lucy."

"Goodnight, Susan."

` la ` la ` la ` la

They awoke with the Susan and they were even more miserable then they had been the night before. They were cold, tired, and hungry. It was impossible to think of any plan that was agreeable to anyone: stealing a boat ("We wouldn't like it if someone stole from us," from Lucy), approaching the workers ("What if they're enemies?" by Edmund), swimming across to the mainland ("They'll see us anyway and we don't know how fast the current is," by Susan) and there was a list of more.

"I think one of us should go scout," Susan said. "If we can get close enough to Cair Paravel without being seen, we can easily tell if we recognize anyone. If we can't recognize anyone, then we will come back and see what we can do. If we do, then we'll know it's safe to approach the castle and ask for help getting an audience with whoever the current King is."

"But who is going to go?" Edmund asked. They all thought for a moment: Lucy had always been the most assured and daring one, but Edmund was the man. After much debate, it was decided that Susan should go because she was good at being quiet and going about unnoticed. It was the one skill that was needed and her archer's eye would be able to spot things that Lucy and Edmund may not be able to.

She would have waited until the sun was setting, but the constant gnaw of hunger pushed her to start out as soon as she figured out a plan. She would go through the wild apple orchard, clinging to the trees. She would get as close as she felt was comfortable and once she was there, she would watch and listen for any sign of an old friend. If they were Narnians and seemed friendly enough, she would approach them. However, she would be cautious and remember that things change in Narnia, even if she was only gone for two weeks.

Susan set off and she was quickly in the overgrown apple orchard. It was hard to see and find her way towards Cair Paravel, but the sound of the workers guided her feet. She was very close to the wall when the trees allowed her enough space to see into the courtyard.

What she saw amazed her: there were so many people working, all working together in unison. The courtyard where she had spent a few days had already altered so much and she could the castle being rebuilt. Of course, to except that it would be the same as the original throne would be foolish and she knew that it would make a very fine replica of the castle.

Her awe of the work slowly decreased until she could remember why she had come up here in the first place. It was to see if she could recognize any friend among the workers and she quickly began searching the faces. There were centaurs, dwarfs, Talking Animals, and she even recognized some mice bounding in and out. However, she didn't see any particular one that she was familiar enough. Should she risk speaking out, or she should hold her tongue and wait?

Susan watched the work, her mind getting lost. It would be better to wait – how would she even approach them? "I'm your Queen, Susan the Gentle. Now, tell me everything I've missed," seemed a little too overbearing and pompous. True to her title, she tried to please everyone and she would go through great lengths to make concise and safe decisions.

"…I admire our King," a dwarf had gotten close to the wall, where Susan was hiding, "but this work is overwhelming. He will surely break us before we are close to finishing this castle. Why must we rebuild something that was destroyed for a reason?"

"It was simply destroyed because of an attack. It was not their fault. Besides, Cair Paravel is where the true King of Narnia, a Son of Adam, must rule from," (Susan could tell that this was a mouse by his squeaky voice) "and it is not our place to question it."

"What is wrong with the castle that resides in the North? It feels like an insult to the Kings and Queens of Old."

"But it is homage to them. Although none can rebuild the splendor that it used to be, replicating this is the closest he can get to making sure that they are remembered," the mouse said.

"He has only been king for two months and we've already been at this for a month. I thought that under him, we would be truly at peace."

"We are the ones who pledged ourselves to this job, if you do not remember. He has asked for volunteers; it was not mandated."

"Yet it feels like it slave labor," the dwarf insisted. "When I agreed, I didn't know we would be rebuilding a ruin. Who even thought of it?"

They walked away, still arguing about the point of rebuilding Cair Paravel. Susan was slowly piecing things together: there was a recent King and he had asked for people to rebuild Cair Paravel and try to restore it. Her mind was reeling with how long it could have been since she had been here and she couldn't think of a reasonable estimate. It was impossible to tell without knowing someone.

She was about to turn to leave when she heard someone approach her. She had no choice but stay: she would either have to climb a tree or jump the fence: both would reveal her presence to the workers or wait until the other person approached her.

The smooth feel of a blade against her neck caused her breath to catch and she instantly stepped back. She could find no words to say as she closed her eyes as she waited for her captor to quickly end it.

"Queen Susan?"


	4. Chapter 4: This Is What We Missed?

**A/N: Thank you for whoever is reading this after such a long time of no updates and thank you those who are reading it for the first time. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to C.S. Lewis and Disney. I only own the plot.**

` la ` la ` la

A husky voice, tainted with an accent that was distinguishably Telmarine was the last thing she had been expecting. A guard, maybe, or a worker who had been exiled from the group…but certainly not a Telmarine. A course of relief went through her body; at least she was back in Narnia during the reign of Caspian's people. If she would not get a chance to meet him again, at least she didn't miss him by another thousand years.

The blade was taken off her neck quickly, as if the person behind her was afraid of hurting her. She spun around, her hand ready to grab an arrow from her quiver and use it as a contact weapon. Once her blue eyes registered the person in front of her, any idea of defending herself was the last thing on her mind.

It was him. He did not even appear to be any older or different. Time seemed to have frozen him and he looked as flawless as ever. The only noticeable difference was his simple attire, the gold circlet about his head, and the dagger that was in his left hand. Otherwise, she would have thought that she had never left. Of course, she had to check her thoughts. There were a number of things that could interfere with her wild imagination, so it was better to expect nothing.

"Pr…No, King Caspian," Susan said, fighting the desire to wrap her arms around him. She didn't have to resist for long; his arms wrapped around her before she could even register what was happening. Her body acted of its own accord as she hugged him back. It was a better message than they could have verbally stated and it filled her with overwhelming happiness. To know that he hadn't forgotten her and that his feelings remained unchanged was the best gift in the entire world.

But the question of time and of his marital status prevented her emotions from overflowing. She stepped back and tried to keep an impassive façade. It failed once she saw the look on Caspian's face. There was no adequate way to describe his expression at that time; if Susan ever had to recall it, she would've stated that it was an 'interesting mixture between intense longing and intense surprise.'

"Queen Susan?" Caspian questioned again. "Why are you here?"

"If you would prefer me to leave, I can," she teased, smiling at him. In all honesty, she wasn't even sure why she was there and explaining it would have probably resulted in tears. Excited to be back in Narnia and even more invigorated by the fact Caspian was not dead, tears were the last thing she wanted to happen. "Actually, it is a very long story. I am sure you will hear of it later, but at the present moment, Lucy and Edmund are waiting for my return. I'm also dying to hear what has been happening during our absence."

"If you will give me a minute, Queen Susan, I will bring Destrier around. I will take you back to your brother or sister," Caspian said. Susan nodded her head and he left.

In a moment, he returned with his stallion. He mounted and held a hand out for Susan to take. She only hesitated for a second before taking his hand and swinging her body up behind him.

Susan placed her hands on his shoulders, keeping a very light touch. He asked for directions to Edmund and Lucy; she gave very brief but descriptive directions. After that, the ride fell into an awkward silence. Awkward silences are never unavoidable in the instance of two people who like each other, thought they weren't going to see each other again, and ended up seeing each other again.

The ride was silent until they reached their destination. As soon as they reached Edmund and Lucy, Susan slipped off of Destrier. Caspian followed her actions and walked behind her.

"King Caspian!" Lucy said, running forward to hug him. She embraced him and didn't let him go willingly.

"Hello, Queen Lucy," Caspian said once they broke apart. He nodded towards Edmund as well, adding, "…and King Edmund."

"What's been going on while we've been gone? How long has it been? Is everyone we know dead?" Lucy asked, desperate for some information about the friends she had left behind.

"It has only been two months since you and your siblings left us," Caspian said. "But as for telling you about what has happened while you are gone, it would be better not to speak in the open. Let us go to Castle Caspian; there I know no unfriendly ears are listening."

Within the next half hour, the camp was packed, another horse was produced, and they were ready to start on their journey. The only left to do was to decide who was riding with whom.

"Lucy and I can ride together," Susan started off, avoiding eye contact with Caspian. As soon as she said it, she was aware that her idea would be rejected.

"Why don't you ride with Edmund, Susan?" Lucy asked, picking up on Susan's feelings.

Of course the boys wouldn't want to ride with each other. It made sense that they didn't and Susan couldn't really blame them.

"Why doesn't Susan ride with Caspian? I'll ride with you, Lu," Edmund said, looking between Susan and Caspian.

"If Queen Susan doesn't object…" Caspian said, looking at Susan. She shifted slightly, blushing a bit. On one hand, she wanted nothing more to be with him and scream with joy that she could be with him again. At the same time, she didn't want to assume that things were going to be the same. If something had changed in the time that she wasn't here, she didn't want to be rejected.

Finally, Susan said, "I don't mind riding with Caspian," and it was settled. Soon, they were on their designated horses and were headed towards Castle Caspian.

"Why didn't you want to ride with me, Susan?" Caspian asked after a few minutes. They were well ahead of Lucy and Edmund, so there was absolutely no risk of them being overheard. Susan still looked around, blushing.

"I just didn't know if you have changed your mind about me in the time that I've been away," Susan said slowly. "I don't even know how it has been…" She wanted to add that she couldn't handle it if he rejected her, but instead, she slipped her hands down to his waist.

Caspian simply looked over his shoulder, giving her a look that clearly expressed his thoughts. Did she really think that she was that easy to get over? He had never seen a woman like her. She captured his senses and made him feel alive. His life was full of plenty of girls who all sought his affection, but after Susan he just couldn't find them attractive. Was her self-confidence so low that she didn't believe in her power to keep a man interested for such a short time?

Before long, they reached the Beruna Fort. Caspian told Edmund and Lucy to go on ahead; he stopped and spoke to one of the guards. Susan listened intently; she could make out 'Charles the Superior', 'number of forces', 'spies', and 'trouble' from the murmured talk.

When Caspian heard what he needed to, he urged Destrier to a gallop. Susan's arms wrapped around his waist and she held onto him tightly. Within fifteen minutes, they caught up to Edmund and Lucy. The rest of the ride passed in a companionable silence.

Edmund and Lucy dismounted as soon as they reached the courtyard and waited for Caspian and Susan to do the same. Caspian got off first, before offering a hand to help Susan. She took it without a moment's hesitation and dismounted. His hand held hers for a second longer than it should have and Susan blushed.

"When can we eat?" Edmund asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Edmund, mind your manners. It is not our house," Susan scolded.

"It is fine, Susan. You will dine with us," Caspian said. "During dinner, I will fill you in what you have missed."

He led them to the dining hall, where there were already a few nobles. Caspian took his seat at the head of the table. Susan took the seat to his right and Lucy sat on her left. Edmund took his seat on Caspian's left.

As far as the food was concerned, it was just as wonderful as the Pevensie children remembered Narnian food being. There was more than enough; everyone had seconds and some even had thirds.

Once everyone's stomachs were satisfied, the conversation started to flow. Caspian leaned back in his chair, studying Susan's face for a moment.

"There is a Son of Adam from your world…We haven't heard how he crossed over yet…But we have information that he's gathering any will support him. He seems to want to take over Narnia. He calls himself 'Charles the Superior'. So far, he hasn't proved to be any serious threat, but one of Lord Miraz's war advisors, Averill, is on his side. Averill is probably the man behind everything that Charles does. We still aren't sure about the extent of the forces, but they've been attempting to take down some of our scouting parties," Caspian explained.

About thirty minutes passed and they spent the time discussing and getting as much information out of Caspian as they could. It was almost ridiculous some of the things Charles had done before Averill had joined them, such as walking into Castle Caspian and demanding that Caspian gave up the throne. They had just took him as a joke and told him to get out.

Susan and Lucy retired early, going up to their rooms before the men quit. Their rooms were side by side and connected by a door, so they had immediate access to each other. Susan took the room on the right and Lucy took the room on the left. A bath had already been drawn for Susan and a nightgown laid out on the king sized bed.

The bath was long and pleasant. It took Susan about an hour and fifteen minutes and she only got out because the water had turned unbearably cold. The nightgown was a blue long sleeved dress that brushed against the gown when she walked.

Lucy came over after her bath, wearing an identical nightgown that was pink. Susan went to braid her hair and Lucy sat on Susan's bed.

"What do you think will happen now, Susan?"

"We'll just have to see, Lucy. We'll just have to see."


End file.
